I like nothing more than seeing the first hints of light coming over the horizon in the morning. I often take a mug of coffee and sit on the bench on the green in front of my house overlooking the fields below, watching as the first light peeps above the tree line.
The air is cool and still at that hour, the world not quite awake yet. Then the birds begin their chorus, flitting from bough to bough as if they too are greeting the day. Colours warm around me, and there is a beautiful peace in that moment just as the day begins.
As someone who struggles with sleep, I treasure that morning light more than ever. It helps my body know what time of day it is. It gives me essential vitamin D. It can lift my mood out of the doldrums and bring a welcome clarity to my mind.
Mornings are, for me, a time of hope. As we emerge from the darkness of winter days into the coming spring, I appreciate that light even more. I find I have more energy. There is a sense of expectancy and promise in the air. The arrival of a new day helps reset what is past as I face the future with renewed optimism.
A close friend of mine suffers from depression. I once asked him what the single most important thing he did to battle this pernicious dis-ease.
He said simply, “I make sure I go outside for five minutes every day.”
How could something so simple be so powerful? And yet stepping outside into the morning light can work wonders for body, mind and soul.
So let us step out into the morning light today. Let us take a moment to notice it.
And may we remember that even during the darkest times in our lives, the light always eventually returns.
When was the last time you paused to notice the morning light?
Olivia McCabe 